The Crystal of Ripple Star
by Marie The Crocheter
Summary: This is an old fanfic I wrote, kind of like a novelization of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
1. The Beginning...

(This is an old story I wrote back in the summer of 2000 based off of the game Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. I posted it here so that a friend could read it, but feel free to comment on it if you'd like.)

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Ripple Star, the beautiful, though small, heart-shaped planet of the fairies, a place where nothing could go wrong...

Or so Ribbon had thought.

One bright, sunny day on Ripple Star, all that changed drastically!

Ribbon had been outside, as were most of her freinds, when a sudden shadow overcame them.

"That's odd," a fairy, named Satin, commented, watching the dark cloud that was approaching. "They didn't say anything about rain today..."

"Oh, no!" another fairy, Taffeta, cried. "That isn't just any cloud! That's the Dark Matter!"

All the fairies knew of the Dark Matter. It was an evil force known for wreaking havoc throughout the galaxy, and it appeared that Ripple Star was its next target!

"What should we do?!" Satin cried.

Just then, the three fairies heard the Queen crying from her tower. "Help! Help! Someone come! Please!"

Without further ado, the three fairies raced up to the top of the tower to the Queen. She frantically waved toward the fairies' most prized possession, the Crystal. 

"Please," she begged, "if this Crystal falls into the wrong hands, this solar system is doomed! We have to evacuate it from this planet."

"I'll do it!" Ribbon, the youngest of the fairies, volunteered.

"But you're too young," Satin protested.

"Let her do it," the Queen broke in. "I'm sure she can; she's young and strong. Do not let ANY harm befall this crystal!"

Ribbon sat on the crystal, and it took off, to the far corners of the solar system, with the Queen's words ringing in her ears: _Do not let ANY harm befall this crystal. ANY harm._

She wouldn't let anything befall it. Ribbon swore to herself that she wouldn't.

It wasn't until then that she noticed that three one-eyed black clouds were following her. _Dark Matter followed me!!_ Ribbon thought in a panic. _Well, they're not going to get the crystal!_

Ribbon dodged to the left, the right, left again, then the three ganged up and hit the crystal at the same time.

The crystal couldn't take that.

It shattered, its pieces being flung to the far corners of the solar system.

And Ribbon was flung to the nearest planet, Pop Star..............

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It was a beautiful night on Pop Star, made all the more beautiful by the shooting starts falling everywhere!

Kirby was sitting outside, enjoying the night, when something suddenly hit him, _hard, _from behind. So hard that he went flying for a few feet.

"Ow" Kirby muttered in his own language, "What was that?!"

"Oooh" It sounded like a _voice_

Kirby jumped around to see a little human-like looking girl. Her hair was pink, she wore a red dress and matching bow, and she had wings

A fairy?!

Just then, something smaller hit Kirby from behind. 

It was a small crystal.

Kirby examined it. It looked like it had been broken off a bigger one An asteroid, perhaps?

The fairy began to sniffle then. She was stroking something that looked like the crystal Kirby was holding.

"Do you need this?" Kirby asked in his strange-sounding English.

She looked up. "Yes!"

Kirby tossed it to her, just as she tossed hers to him, the two crystals met in mid-air, and joined together to make a slightly bigger crystal.

The fairy looked happy for a minute, then she just sat staring sadly at her crystal.

"Is something wrong?" Kirby asked.

She nodded. "My name's Ribbon, and I'm from the planet Ripple Star. Our planet was just overtaken by the Dark Matter, and I escaped with this crystal" she started to sob then, and had to stop.

"What happened?" Kirby demanded. "Is that the crystal?"

She nodded, and sniffled. "Y, yes. Part of it. It shattered! I promised the Queen I wouldn't let anything happen to it, and I did! I can't go back home, not without the full crystal! Now all the shards are scattered throughout the solar system; that's them falling in the sky," she added, motioning to the falling stars.'

"I'll help you!" Kirby volunteered. "I've been on a lot of adventures, so I can help you get all the shards back!"

"You will? You really will? Thank you!!" Ribbon _really_ brightened up at that!

"We can start right now," Kirby suggested, sitting up, but Ribbon held him back.

"It's just past midnight, we should start tomorrow when we can see better."

"Uh, well, okay."

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The next morning, Ribbon and Kirby set off to find the Crystal Shards. Kirby didn't mind traveling at all; he loved sucking up baddies and copying their power.

"Have you ever tried mixing power?" Ribbon asked. "Try swallowing a bomb baddy and rock baddy to see what happens."

Kirby did and discovered he could throw dynamite!!

"Wow! This is cool! I wonder what else I can do Hey, think I should mix -- "

Then the dynamite exploded, leaving Kirby and Ribbon soot-covered.

Ribbon coughed. "Just remind me to fly away next time you do that"

On their path, Kirby and Ribbon found a few shards, and near the edge of the woods, a little creature similar to Kirby discovered a shard too

Waddle Dee had come into the meadow just to take a walk, but right in the path, he discovered a little broken piece of a very fine crystal.

Wow, he thought, _I'll bet this is worth a lot! It's pretty and shiny and huh?_

Waddle Dee was sure he'd seen something to his right. But he looked, nothing.

He went back to thinking about the crystal. _It's all smooth and has a reflection of a one-eyed planet in it? Or is that something behind_

Waddle Dee turned around, to see a one-eyed black cloud had appeared behind him!!

He panicked, not knowing what to do, as the Dark Matter attacked and overcame him

Kirby was running along, hoping to get out of the heat of the day, and Ribbon was chasing a butterfly, when the two came upon Waddle Dee, lying senseless on the road.

"Hold up!" Kirby told Ribbon. "I know this guy."

"You do? What happened to him?"

Waddle Dee started to move. But something about him was different Especially when Waddle Dee sat up, Kirby realized his face had turned into one BIG eye

Ribbon screamed. "The Dark Matter!! He was taken by the Dark Matter!"

Waddle Dee noticed the crystal Ribbon was holding, and tried to lunge at her. But Kirby got in the way.

"You want a fight, you get a fight!" Kirby pushed him down.

And so it went Until Waddle Dee gave out, and gave up his Crystal Shard. The Dark Matter left him and flew off, and Kirby gave the Crystal to Ribbon.

She smiled. "It's getting bigger"

Waddle Dee watched them, having no clue what was going on. "Who're you?" he asked Ribbon. "What's up with those Crystals?"

Kirby and Ribbon told him what was going on, and Waddle Dee brightened a little. "Can I help out?! I know I could help you, Kirby!"

"Well okay," Kirby agreed. "You can come with us!"

The threesome went into the woods, where another adventure awaited them

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Deep in the woods, a young girl was trying to find the perfect thing to paint. 

"This tree looks nice," she thought aloud. "Or, this one Hmm, how about"

The girl was, of course, Adeleine. She finally settled on a tree stump, and began painting the scene in front of her.

She had been painting for only a few seconds when something landed beside her.

Adeleine turned to look, but saw nothing, until she looked down.

A crystal!

She picked it up to study it. _Wow, _she thought, _this crystal is really pretty. Maybe I'll paint it instead!_ Adeleine turned back to her painting pad to see

A one-eyed black cloud coming out of it!

She screamed, and tried to scramble away, but the Dark Matter was faster, knocked her down, and overcame her

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"Anyone need a drink?" Kirby asked Ribbon and Waddle Dee. "I just love this combo of electric and ice!"

"Do you have any cake?" Ribbon asked. "I could go for cake and milk right now."

"I just want a soda," Waddle Dee added. 

"Sure thing." Kirby turned himself into a refrigerator, and Ribbon and Waddle Dee helped themselves.

"Mmm, we could have a picnic if we keep up like this!" Ribbon chuckled between bites.

"Er Maybe" Kirby quickly turned himself into his normal pink body. "We should be moving along now"

After defeating a giant pink ball on a spring, Kirby, Ribbon, and Waddle Dee came to a small clearing in the woods. On a tree stump sat a painting pad on an easel, with paintbrushes and bottles of paint all around it, but it seemed that no one was around

"Uh, oh, this could be trouble," Kirby murmured, "That stuff looks like Adeleine's, but where is she?! It's not like her to just leave her things there"

"And who is this Adeleine' you speak of?" a female's voice asked, as a blue paintbrush blocked Kirby's path.

Kirby gulped, and looked up, into the face of a _very_ angry-looking Adeleine.

"Hand over that crystal!" she demanded. "None of you are leaving until you give me your Crystal Shards!"

"Adeleine?" Waddle Dee asked. "Are you okay?"

"Just GIVE ME THOSE CRYSTALS!"

Kirby scowled at her. "I don't know what's overcome you, Adeleine; you're meaner than usual, but we're not giving them up without a battle!"

"So be it," Adeleine snickered, "but Dark Matter always wins"

"Dark Matter!" Kirby and Ribbon gasped.

"She must have been taken over by Dark Matter too," Ribbon whispered, scared.

"Let's just battle to see who gets the crystals!" Kirby demanded. To himself he added: _And let's see if I can knock the Dark Matter out of you, like I did with Waddle Dee_

"Of course we can battle," Adeleine hopped onto the tree stump with her easel, "but we all know you won't win!" With that she quickly painted a baddie, who popped out of the painting, just to have Kirby defeat it.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Kirby mocked.

"Grr" Adeleine was shaking with anger, and she painted another baddie, who also popped out. Kirby defeated it, too. She did another, and another, and one more, but Kirby got them all.

"Try this on for size!" she shouted as she painted a bigger one.

It took more than one hit, but Kirby got it too!

"GRR! This one will do you in for sure!" Adeleine painted something that looked like the Dark Matter, and it came to life as well

Kirby tried to hit the Dark Matter' but he couldn't; it was a cloud! Adeleine let out a sinister laugh. "Looks like I win!"

"Wait!" Kirby had an idea. He spit out his electric and ice power at the Dark Matter', and defeated it!!

"WHAT?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Adeleine roared. "How _did _you.?!?! Grr! You've made me very mad now, little puffball!" Adeleine jumped from the tree stump and attacked Kirby herself!

No problem for Kirby He just flung her away, she hit a tree, which knocked her out, and knocked the Dark Matter out of her too. It flew off, knowing Kirby had won.

Kirby picked up the shard Adeleine had dropped and gave it to Ribbon. She seemed quite pleased. "Getting even bigger now"

"Ooh" Adeleine moaned, "my head" she opened her eyes and realized she was against a tree. Then she saw the others there with her. "Huh? Kirby? Waddle Dee? How did you get here? Why does my head hurt And who's that?" speaking about Ribbon.

Ribbon quickly introduced herself, and told Adeleine about the Crystal Shards,. And about what Adeleine had just did.

"I fought you?" Adeleine asked, bewildered. "The last thing I remember is picking up that crystal, then seeing that one-eyed black cloud come from my painting pad, and knock me over"

"The Dark Matter overtook you, so you don't remember fighting us," Ribbon explained. "It wipes out the memory of the person it possesses."

"Oh well, um, might I help you find these Crystal Shards then?" Adeleine asked. "I want to make up for the trouble I caused!"

"Better ask Kirby," Ribbon suggested.

So Adeleine did, and Kirby accepted her offer, telling her that they had gone through the same thing with Waddle Dee.

"Then let's go!" Adeleine shouted, waving her favorite paintbrush (the blue one) in the air. "No time to lose!"

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Early the next day, Kirby-tachi made it to their next destination: King Dedede's castle.

"Uh" Adeleine inquired, "Do we _have _to go in here? I mean, no telling what that mean old King Dedede could do"

"Yeah," Waddle Dee agreed, "He's kinda like our boss."

"We _HAVE_ to," Kirby pressed. "Some Crystal Shards landed in there, and we have to get them out."

Waddle Dee and Adeleine gulped. "Well, okay."

In the castle, they found three shards, and once they got up to the top, another!

But before Kirby could grab it and give to Ribbon, someone else grabbed for it.

Kirby gulped, looking into the face of an angry King Dedede.

Ribbon gasped. "He must have been taken over by the Dark Matter too"

"I don't think so," Adeleine whispered. "That's just his normal self!"

"Well, well, what's this?" King Dedede practically sneered. "I don't know why you want this, you little pink scumbag, but you're not getting it, and you and your friends better get out of my sight right now!"

"But we need it!" Ribbon protested. She then told him about Ripple Star and the Dark Matter.

"As long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care," he replied.

"But it does affect you," Waddle Dee told him, explaining about what had happened to him and Adeleine, with some help from the latter.

"Well, there's no way that could happen to –"

As King Dedede spoke, a black one-eyed cloud dropped out of the sky!

"Dark Matter!" Kirby, Ribbon, Waddle Dee, and Adeleine all shouted.

King Dedede actually looked a little frightened

The Dark Matter looked at the five assembled there, and its eyes er, _eye, _fell on King Dedede.

It attacked him.

The others watched in horror as the Dark Matter picked him up and entered him. Once it had, King Dedede fell to the ground, not moving.

Kirby whacked him a few times, getting the Dark Matter out before it could take full control. Ribbon grabbed Dedede's Crystal Shard and had it join with the rest of the crystal.

Once the Dark Matter had left and King Dedede was conscious again, Kirby asked, "Well, _now _how do you feel about this, Dedede?"

"That's King Dedede' to you, Puffy," King Dedede muttered, "and you can keep the crystal!"

"You know," Ribbon spoke up, "we _could_ use someone like you on our team"

"What?!" King Dedede roared. "Why?!"

"Because you're so dang strong and _big_" Adeleine started to say.

"It's glandular," Dedede cut her off, "and there's _no way_ I'm bringing myself down to your level to help you peasants!"__

"Peasants?!" Adeleine was shocked. "I am — er, _was _—the daughter of a late famous French painter, plus, I work for you! That's not a peasant' for sure!!!!"

"Likewise," Ribbon added, "I work – _worked_ - for the Queen of Ripple Star. I was in her service; she wanted me to save the Crystal! That means I'm not a peasant either!"

King Dedede sighed. "Look, I don't want to help, and that's final!"

"Suit yourself" Kirby, Ribbon, and Adeleine left. Waddle Dee started to, but then turned back to the king. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Very sure!" King Dedede shouted, but didn't sound so sure of himself this time. "Now, go away! I'm not helping."

"Okay, see you later, I guess." Waddle Dee left then.

King Dedede thought about it for a few minutes. He really did want to help; this sounded exciting for sure, but help Kirby, and those traitors Waddle Dee and Adeleine?! Yeah, right!

Still, though, his desire to help was stronger, so he ran as fast as he could, until he caught up to Waddle Dee. "Wait, please!"

"Huh?" Waddle Dee turned around. "What?"

"I'm going to help after all."

Waddle Dee grinned (despite the fact he doesn't have a mouth). "Good! Welcome to the group, King Dedede!"


	2. Rock Star & Aqua Star

"You know, Ribbon" Adeleine asked the next day, "These crystals were spread across the whole solar system, right?"

"Yeah"

"_So_ That means they'd be found at other planets than Pop Star, right?"

"Yes"

"Eh? Other planets?" Kirby hadn't thought of that. "How are we going to get there?"

"Um" Ribbon stuttered, "I'm not sure, but I think that the crystal can act as a portal."

"A portal, eh?" King Dedede murmured. "Well, it had better; I didn't leave my huge castle for no reason."

"We've searched Pop Star pretty well," Waddle Dee added. "That last crystal shard we got was from that giant apple tree We have 12 now, right?"

"Right," Ribbon answered. "And I don't think there are any more here, but, I'm sure some landed on Rock Star"

"But how will we _get_ to Rock Star?" Adeleine pressed. "We _need_ a portal or spacecraft of some such!"

"Well," Ribbon started, "I'm sure—"

Ribbon didn't finish, since just then the crystal flew from her grasp, glowing. It then turned into a star-shaped portal, showing Rock Star.

"See?" Ribbon pointed to it. "A portal to Rock Star. Let's go!" She flew into the portal.

"Well I'm all for it!" Kirby jumped in after her. 

"Wait for me!" Waddle Dee went next.

"Here goes nothing" Adeleine jumped in too.

"Guess I'll stick with them." King Dedede was last.

Then the portal closed, and the crystal went flying to the next world, Rock Star

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"This place"

"Is as barren as"

"A desert!"

"Dessert?" Kirby asked hopefully.

"I said desert'!" King Dedede roared at him.

Adeleine and Ribbon looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "Gee guys," Adeleine slyly stated, "All I see around is sand, hills of sand, sandy rocks This certainly looks like a desert to me!"

"Ditto," Ribbon agreed. 

"It's hot enough to be a desert too," Waddle Dee moaned. "I hope we find some type of shade."

"Eh?" King Dedede suddenly stopped the group. "Do you see that?"

"See what?" Kirby asked.

"Don't question me," King Dedede snapped. "Over there, in the sand, I see something moving."

Ribbon flew up higher to get a look. "He's right! It looks like something's about to come out of the sand!"

Just as she spoke, the others saw it, too, as a purple ship emerged from the sand!

"Whoah" Adeleine murmured, "perfect setting for a painting! A purple ship, in the middle of a sandy desert"

"We don't have time for that!" Kirby told her. "Let's see what's up with this ship!"

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A few hours later, Kirby-tachi was on board the ship, near the top, and had found several Crystal Shards.

"I wonder who owns this thing," Waddle Dee wondered aloud.

"I dunno," Adeleine answered. She kept stopping to make quick sketches. Waddle Dee noticed that she was drawing him, with a bewildered look on his face. "Hey! Cut that out!"

Adeleine chuckled and turned the page. "Least you didn't see any of my drawings of King Dedede"

"Pardon? Did you say something about me?" Dedede demanded.

"Uh, no and _remember_," she quickly added, "Since we're not on Pop Star anymore, you can't render any punishment to any of us, your highness." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ah," King Dedede remained calm, "Very true, Miss Adeleine, but once we get back to Pop Star, I am in control, and I will be sure to tell whomever you live with what a mean, traitorous little girl you are."

Adeleine shrugged. "So? They already know that!'

"Shh!" Kirby told all to be quiet. "Look, guys, see that up there?" Kirby pointed to the roof. There was an elevator leading up to a top hatch.

"Suppose that's the top?" Waddle Dee suggested.

"Well, really," King Dedede sarcastically answered, "It seems to be on the roof, gee, _maybe_ it goes to the top"

"I'll check!" Ribbon flew up and studied it. "Yep! It's a hatch to the outside!"

"Open it!" Kirby told her. "We'll all be coming up, one at a time."

Ribbon did, and the others went on the elevator to the top.

Once there, they found a crystal! – but had to fight three mechanical crystals to get it, and once they did, they had to evacuate the ship _fast_, as it was about to leave for another system.

"That was close," Dedede gasped.

"You said it," Adeleine agreed. "Ack! My pencil just broke!"

"That's nice," Waddle Dee sounded relieved.

For another hour or two, the fivesome wandered through the desert, everyone getting weaker and more tired with each step, as a minor sandstorm blew up.

"Great," King Dedede muttered, "This'll do my royal robe good for _sure"_

Adeleine was trailing as the last of the group, or so she thought, until she realized that Kirby was neither in front of her nor right behind her. She turned and looked a little farther back, and saw him lying in the sand, having collapsed from exhaustion and hunger. "Hold up, guys!"

"What?" Dedede, the leader of the group, turned around and stopped Ribbon and Waddle Dee. "Something wrong?"

Adeleine pointed to Kirby. "I hope he's okay"

Ribbon flew over to check him over while the others crowded around. "He's too hungry to go on! And we have no food" she wailed.

"That's not good"

"Hmm, I _knew_ I should have brought some of my servants with me"

"Aha!" Adeleine exclaimed, "I have an idea!" She set up her easel and took out her paintbrush, and very special paint.

"Adeleine, painting isn't going to help," Dedede muttered.

"This will." She painted an apple, and it popped out of the painting.

A real apple! Food! Ribbon picked it up and gave it to Kirby. He ate it in one gulp!

"Not bad Make more, for all of us!" King Dedede commanded.

"Sure thing." Adeleine painted some roasted meat for King Dedede, a giant strawberry for Waddle Dee, a piece of chocolate cake for Ribbon, several apples and slices of pie for Kirby, and a sandwich for herself.

Adeleine had just painted another apple for Kirby when the crystal began to glow again. "Hey!" Ribbon exclaimed, "It looks like we're done here!"

The crystal turned into a portal, this time showing Aqua Star. Ribbon jumped into it, followed by Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede. Dedede ended up having to drag Kirby into it; he was so busy eating he didn't even notice!

Then the crystal flew off to the next world

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"This place is so lovely!" Adeleine exclaimed. "I love it!"

Kirby-tachi had spent an entire day already exploring the beautiful beaches and clear waters of Aqua Star, finding more than ten crystal shards in the process.

"Yeah I just hope we don't run into any dangerous animals," Kirby said, and shivered. "I have this weird feeling a killer whale is going to attack at any second"

"Killer whale?" Waddle Dee looked scared. "Are those known for killing or something?"

The other four fell down, anime-style. "Yes, you moron!" King Dedede snapped. "Why else would they be _killer_ whales?!"

"Yep, so there!" Adeleine threw a fish at Waddle Dee, who dodged it. King Dedede then threw one at her, and it hit her square in the back.

"Hey, King Dededededededededededede! That hurt!"

"King what?" Ribbon asked. She picked up some seaweed and dropped it on Kirby, who threw it right back up to her. "Yuck! I don't want my hair smelling like seaweed!"

"I smell like fish," Adeleine moaned. She suddenly stopped and painted a bottle of rose-scented perfume on her notepad, and it popped out of the picture. She quickly used it and tossed it to Ribbon. Ribbon used it too, then tossed it out to sea.

"Cheaters," Waddle Dee muttered.

Just then, Kirby and Ribbon saw a big splash nearby, just where Ribbon had thrown the perfume bottle. "Uh Did you see that?" she asked him.

"Yeah," Kirby answered. "Something else likes Adeleine's perfume"

Just then, they saw a killer whale jump out of the water!

"Aah!" Adeleine choked. "D-did you s-see that?!?!"

"Yeah, killer whale" Dedede was awed.

Waddle Dee gulped. "I hope it doesn't think I'm dinner"

The killer whale did come up and attack them then, and Kirby-tachi defeated it, finding that it had yet another Crystal Shard!

Ribbon was almost ecstatic. "Ooh! We're getting close! The crystal's about half of the size it should be! Thank you all so much for helping thus far!"

"You're quite welcome," Kirby told her.

"Yeah, glad to help!" Waddle Dee agreed.

"Ditto." That was Adeleine.

"I still feel strange about helping Kirby and these traitors, but still, you're welcome."

A little while later, the five were sitting (or hovering over) the beach, taking a rest. Adeleine suddenly grabbed a rock, stood up, and threw it.

"Hmm," she muttered as she watched it splash, "Didn't go very far"

"I can throw it farther," King Dedede boasted, as he picked one up and threw it too. Waddle Dee and Kirby followed suit.

"I'll throw mine farthest!" Kirby closed his eyes and wound up for the pitch Just as a _huge_ wave came into sight!

Ribbon, Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede ran away, but Kirby didn't see it, until it was on him! He was swept out to sea, and dragged back to shore a minute later.

When he looked up, he was just in time to see Adeleine jump into a portal made by the crystal. The others had already jumped in. Kirby ran quickly and jumped in too.

The portal closed, and the five went soaring to their next destination: Neo Star.


	3. Neo Star & Shiver Star

"Watch for those pterodactyls," Ribbon warned, "those things are so annoying"

"I see," Waddle Dee agreed. "This place is a jungle"

"Prehistoric jungle," Adeleine corrected. "There's dinosaur-like creatures all over the place! Volcanoes, too."

"Yeah, I wonder what's up with those rock cliffs. They're all different, and bright, colors," Kirby wondered aloud.

King Dedede was hammering away at a rock blocking their path. "No one's walked this in years, if ever," he said. "This rock has been here a long time." He finally broke it, and they all passed.

"I don't like this place," Adeleine said while looking around. "Too creepy."

"Yeah," Kirby agreed. "Even the floor is all wet and sticky and Whooooah!" Kirby fell into a hole!

Ribbon swooped down and grabbed him. "It's not deep," she gasped, as she lifted him out.

"Look down there!" Waddle Dee shouted. "A Crystal Shard!"

"He's right! There's one down there!" Adeleine painted a lasso, and got it up. She tossed it to Ribbon.

"The Crystal's about 2/3 complete now," Ribbon was pleased. "I'll bet we don't have much more to do until we get to go to Shiver Star."

"I'll be glad to leave here!" Adeleine threw the lasso away.

It took another day or two, but Kirby-tachi finally climbed the cliffs of Neo Star, up to a volcano at the top. There they had to fight a lava monster to get a crystal shard!

"Man," Adeleine fanning herself with an electric fan she'd made, "Getting the Crystal Shards is harder than I thought"

Just then, the crystal began glowing again, and showed a portal to Shiver Star!

"Good, we get to leave," King Dedede grinned.

However, the ground began to shake, as a nearby volcano erupted. And its debris was coming right for them!

"Hurry!" Ribbon shouted. The portal began to run away from the volcanic activity.

Ribbon went in first, then King Dedede, but Adeleine, right behind him, couldn't keep up, so Dedede stuck himself partly out of the portal to pull her in. Kirby jumped in next, sticking himself out partway to suck Waddle Dee in.

Then the portal closed, and the fivesome were on their way to Shiver Star

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"Glad t-to be i-inside," Kirby shut the door behind all of them, having gotten into a building. 

"Yeah, b-but this place is a L-LOT better th-th-than N-neo Star," Adeleine's teeth were chattering.

King Dedede wasn't cold. "Why are all you others so cold?! This is perfect weather!"

"For you, m-maybe," Ribbon was trying to warm herself. "D-don't forget, y-you're a p-p-penguin!"

"Oh, yes, I almost did forget"

Kirby waited awhile, then asked Ribbon about the crystal. "We've been here on Shiver Star for three days, Ribbon; report on the crystal?"

"About ¾ it's normal size," she happily reported. "We're almost there, guys!"

"Yay!" Adeleine was painting food. She painted an entire crystal-shaped cake to celebrate.

After they had all eaten, and been attacked by a robot, the crystal did it again

It began to glow, and opened another portal!

But this planet was different; it was sad-looking. It was in the shape of a heart, a smiling heart, but was engulfed by massive black clouds.

Ribbon choked back a sob as she looked through glistening eyes at the helpless planet. "Guys This is my home. Ripple Star!"

"Looks like there's a big mess all right" Kirby was wide-eyed.

Ribbon turned to them. "Once you go here, there's no turning back! This whole place has been taken over by the Dark Matter, and we will have to fight it, together. But, if any of you are too scared to fight, I'll see if I can get you back to Pop Star."

"No way!" Adeleine told the fairy. "I'm staying with you, Ribbon! I know I could help!"

"Same here," King Dedede agreed. "We've gone this far, so let's finish it!"

"I'm with you, too," Waddle Dee put in.

"Ribbon, we're all with you!" Kirby was last to agree.

Ribbon smiled and nodded. "Good! I know that if we all work together, we can beat it!"

"So let's go!!" Kirby ran to the portal, with Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede right behind him. But, just as he poised to jump in, he tripped, and the other three used him as a springboard to jump in. Ribbon watched him, horrified that the others had stepped on him! So, though he was heavy to her, she picked him up and took him into the portal with her.

Then, the portal sealed, and they were on their way for the final showdown


	4. The Final Showdown.... Or Is It?

"This place is beautiful," Kirby commented on Ribbon's home planet.

Ribbon snickered. "You mean it _would_ be beautiful, if not for all the evil fairies and dark clouds here."

"Actually, I think it is already. Do you think all the fairies have been taken by the Dark Matter?" Adeleine asked.

"I don't know, actually," Ribbon answered. "I left minutes after the Dark Matter attacked."

"Just keep your head up," King Dedede told her. "This place is infested with Dark Matter, and we know it wants that crystal."

"I know. And it won't get it." Ribbon hugged it close.

After awhile, the crystal got so big that Ribbon couldn't carry it any more, so Dedede carried it for her. "Do you think it's complete?" he asked.

Ribbon studied it. "No, but it's only missing one more shard"

"Ribbon!" A frantic voice called to her all of a sudden.

"Huh?" Ribbon turned around to see her old friend Satin!

"Ribbon! Are you all right?! Everyone's been talking about you, when you would return to let the crystal defeat the Dark Matter!"

"Wha The crystal can beat the Dark Matter by itself?" Ribbon looked confused.

"Yes! We just found that out a few days ago, but it will only work if the crystal's 100% complete! And I trust you didn't let anything happen to it, did you?"

"Um, well, you see"

"What?!" Satin grabbed Ribbon by the shoulders and shook her. "Tell me!!"

"Geez, calm down," Dedede calmly pushed Satin away. "I have the crystal, but it's only 99% complete."

"Wha..?! 99%?! Ribbon, what happened?! And who are these people??"

Ribbon introduced Kirby, Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede to Satin, and told her about how the crystal had shattered. "But we only need one more piece," she added.

"I know," Taffeta came up then. "And guess who has the last piece?! The Dark Matter!"

"Oh, no!" Ribbon gasped.

"That's bad," Kirby agreed.

"Eep" Waddle Dee's eyes were huge.

"Looks like we have one more _big_ thing to do" Adeleine sighed.

"I'm ready for anything," King Dedede huffed.

Ribbon straightened up. "Well, leave it to us," she told her friends. "I made this mess worse, and my new friends and I will rid this place of the Dark Matter, you'll see!"

"Yep, we're with you all the way!" Kirby spoke for the group. "So how do we fight the Dark Matter?"

"The same way you fought Adeleine's Dark Matter' painting," Ribbon answered. "But you have to be matched with the power it possesses."

"Doesn't sound too hard"

"I had a Dark Matter painting?" Adeleine asked. "When? I don't remember"

"When I fought you," Kirby answered. 

"Oh I suppose I can help you again. Paint whatever the Dark Matter turns into"

"No."

Ribbon looked at Taffeta. "Huh? Why can't we do it together?"

"The Dark Matter will only hold a one-on-one fight. One of you guys is going to have to face it alone."

"Worse than I thought," King Dedede gasped. "I think Kirby should; hey, he's the main guy anyway."

"I agree," Adeleine looked worried. "I just hope you can take the Dark Matter on by yourself, Kirby!"

"Yeah, I agree too," Waddle Dee finished. "Kirby's the only one who can copy powers!"

Ribbon faced Kirby. "Do you think you can do it?"

Kirby nodded. "I'm ready for anything!"

Ribbon gave an approving nod. "Okay, but, be careful. The Dark Matter can do a LOT of damage"

"Doesn't scare me. So," turning to Taffeta, "where do I go to fight the Dark Matter?"

"I'll take you, but, the Dark Matter changes its place a lot It's everywhere, really, so it's hard to know. Bring the crystal with you."

King Dedede gave Kirby the crystal. "Be careful with it"

"I will. See you once I get a victory, guys!" He waved good-bye to his friends.

"Goodbye, Kirby! I know you won't let us down!' Adeleine called.

"Be careful," Waddle Dee added.

"So long, sucker! . I mean, buddy!" That was King Dedede.

Ribbon caught up to him and held him back for a minute. "Promise me you'll be careful," she begged. "Promise!"

"I promise," Kirby assured her.

She smiled sadly. "Thank you!" She gave Kirby a quick hug and went back to the others.

Taffeta and Kirby went outside, and Kirby held the Crystal up. "Hey, Dark Matter, we have a score to settle!"

Just then, a black cloud appeared just over Kirby, materializing into a rock form, which dropped smaller rocks. Kirby scrambled out of the way, while sucking up one of the smaller rocks, and spit it out at the Dark Matter. The Dark Matter then turned into an ice cube, with ice crystals surrounding it, Kirby sucked up the ice and spit it out. And so it went

Until the Dark Matter could take no more! That particle of it broke, but No Crystal!!

Satin, Ribbon, Adeleine, Waddle Dee, Taffeta, and King Dedede had been watching. The three fairies flew outside to see what was going on.

"Oh, maybe I was wrong," Taffeta muttered, "but I know that the crystal's not complete"

The other three met up with them then. "What happened?!" Adeleine demanded. "I thought the Dark Matter had the last shard!"

"Maybe it wasn't that particle that had it," Ribbon suggested. "But I would sure hate to"

"Look!" Waddle Dee shouted. "The crystal's glowing again!"

They all watched as the Dark Matter clouds suddenly gathered and flew off, leaving Ripple Star alone.

Or so it seemed

"Eh, I'm officially confused," Satin mumbled. "The crystal's not complete, but it chased the Dark Matter off?"

"Maybe it only has to be 99% complete," King Dedede suggested.

"Maybe," Ribbon agreed, "But I'm just glad it's gone! Where's the Queen?"

"Oh, I'll go get her!" Satin flew off.

Satin returned a few minutes later with the Queen of Ripple Star, a clumsy black-haired fairy twice the height of Ribbon and her friends.

"Is the Dark Matter gone?" she asked.

"Yep!" Ribbon presented her with the crystal. "Here's the crystal, but I'm afraid it's only 99% complete"

The queen smiled. "Well done, Ribbon! I heard of what happened to the crystal; I'm very happy you got it as complete as you did!"

"Oh, I didn't do it myself," Ribbon motioned to her new friends, "they helped me!"

"Oh, I see" The Queen looked at Kirby, Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede. Kirby wasn't sure why, but something about her stare made him feel creepy

That afternoon, the fairies threw a party for the five who had helped recover the crystal, then the Queen gave them a spaceship to go home on.

"Glad to be going," Dedede muttered as he climbed it.

Waddle Dee climbed in silently. Kirby was next, but Ribbon handed the crystal to the Queen and stopped him.

"Promise me," she said, holding one of his hands, "If you happen to see the missing shard, _please_ come back and give it to us!"

Kirby nodded. "I promise I will!"

The spaceship thingy then flew away, and the Queen looked at the crystal, then at Ribbon. 

"A complete crystal?" she said outloud. "That will never happen!"

"Huh?" Ribbon looked confused. "Why's that?"

"Because I said so!" Something about the Queen's evil look didn't look right

Suddenly, the Dark Matter came _back, _engulfing Ripple Star again! Ribbon felt like fainting.

"Um What's going on?" Satin and Taffeta were wide-eyed.

"Give me that!" Ribbon tried to grab for the crystal, but the Dark Matter got her, and her two friends, before she could do anything

A few days later, Kirby, Waddle Dee, and Adeleine were combing Pop Star for that last crystal shard.

"Geez, it's hard to find just one crystal," Adeleine muttered. "Sure wish King Dedede would help!"

Over the next few weeks, they had combed every planet but Ripple Star thoroughly, but found no crystal shards!

King Dedede was with them now. "Maybe it was complete," he suggested, "and that little blond-haired fairy was wrong"

"I doubt that." Kirby was punching in the coordinates for Ripple Star. "It must be on Ripple Star somewhere."

"Oh, my goodness!" Adeleine suddenly shrieked. "Look at that!" She pointed in the direction of Ripple Star.

The others saw it too. Black clouds had engulfed Ripple Star again!

"Oh, great, that Dark Matter returned," King Dedede muttered. "Just _perfect"_

"I'll bet they need help," Kirby told them. "Who wants to beat the Dark Matter again??"

"I guess it's OK," Waddle Dee answered.

King Dedede swung a hammer, hitting Adeleine in the process. "I'm ready!"

"Ow" Adeleine whacked him with her paintbrush, "I'm all for it!"

"THERE WAS PAINT ON THAT!" Dedede roared at Adeleine, trying to hit her with the hammer again. "You spoiled my royal coat, you little brat!"

"It's washable," Adeleine snapped back. "Or are you so great you can't even wash your clothes??"

"Cut it out!" Kirby shouted at them, "Can't you guys ever get along?!"

"King Fatso's hard to get along with! Right Waddle Dee?" When Waddle Dee didn't answer, she poked him with her paintbrush. "Uh, Waddle Dee?"

"Zzzzzz" Waddle Dee was asleep!

Adeleine fell over, anime style. "Uh, so much for that"

Once they were on Ripple Star, Kirby wasn't too sure where to begin. "We need Ribbon with us," he sighed.

"Yeah, it's not the same without her," Adeleine moaned.

"I'm here!" Ribbon waved at them from a window in the castle.

"Hey, Ribbon! We just came here looking for the last crystal shard!" Kirby shouted up to her.

Ribbon flew down, her friend Satin just behind her. "It's been tough here," Ribbon explained. "The Dark Matter took over the Queen BIG TIME, and all us other fairies too. But, Satin and I got into a fight and ended up knocking the Dark Matter out of each other"

"Yep!" Satin grinned. "The only time fighting ever did us good"

"Now you just need to get the Dark Matter out of the Queen," King Dedede observed. "Suppose she has the last crystal shard?"

Ribbon shook her head. "No, the Dark Matter hid it, I just don't know where But the Queen's got the rest of the crystal!"

"Hmm, if the Dark Matter hid the last shard, it did a pretty pathetic job!" Adeleine was using the end of her blue paintbrush to dig something out of the dirt. Once she did, she picked it up. "Ta-da! It was buried in the sand!" 

Ribbon grabbed it. "Yeah! Now, we need to get the Queen out of her room, and get the crystal."

Satin nodded. "And I know how"


	5. The Battle for the Crystal....

Ribbon and Satin were carrying a platter of the Queen's favorite desserts, made by Adeleine, while Kirby was following them.

"Remember," Ribbon told him, "the Queen _loves_ any kind of cake. So, while she's choosing what to get, you go in there and complete the crystal."

"Okay."

Satin knocked on the door. "Your highness, your servants Satin and Ribbon have something for you!"

The Queen opened the door. She studied them and shook her head. "You really expect me to fall for that?!"

"Yep!" Kirby pushed her down and ran for the crystal.

"Uh, that wasn't planned," Ribbon muttered.

Kirby threw the last shard at it, finally making it complete!

"Hey!" the queen shouted. "You weren't supposed to—"

The crystal began to glow as it raised itself. Suddenly, it seemed to suck its glowing aurora back in — as it shot a beam at the queen!

"Oh!" Ribbon and Satin rushed to their queen's side, just as a HUGE cloud of Dark Matter lifted out of her! The Queen lay on the floor, unconscious.

Ribbon grimaced. "That had to hurt"

Satin was trembling. "The Dark Matter's in here"

"I have an idea!" Kirby grabbed the crystal, and jumped out the window!

"Hey! Look out! There's a pile of rocks under there!" Ribbon flew after him, and caught him before he landed.

"Um, I guess I should have looked first, but Hey! The Dark Matter followed me! Eat this!" Kirby put the crystal down. It raised itself and began glowing again. All the black clouds left, this time exploding in a nice fireball in the middle of the solar system!

"Yeeee-haaaa!" Waddle Dee, Adeleine, and King Dedede were outside now, too. Adeleine was the one who had shouted. "We did it for good!" 

"Um, no," Ribbon corrected. "The Dark Matter that came out of the Queen is still here!" She pointed to a black cloud by the window. That cloud suddenly flew off, making its own planet. The planet was so big that it took up the entire sky of Ripple Star, blocking the sun out.

King Dedede sighed with exasperation. "Argh! Will that Dark Matter ever give up?!"

"I have an idea," Kirby told his friends. He used his cellphone to call a star from Pop Star, then waved as it came into sight. "Here! Land here!"

It landed there, all right — on top of Kirby!! Adeleine, King Dedede, Waddle Dee, and Ribbon grabbed hold it, and Kirby did once it got off of him.

"See ya after we finish off the Dark Matter!" Kirby shouted to Satin as they left.

She sighed. "I hope you get rid of it, anyway"

"Why are there baddies in here?" Adeleine asked as she smashed some spider-looking thing. "This is weird"

"Yeah. Where's the heart of the Dark Matter? That's what we have to fight!" Ribbon was swooping all over the place. 

King Dedede smashed another spider with his hammer. "This place is _very _weird."

"This way," Waddle Dee called to them, having just dug a tunnel. "Under here! I think this is closer to the heart!"

"I hope so too," Kirby agreed, as he jumped down the tunnel.

"I saw it!" Ribbon shouted a few minutes later. "The heart of the Dark Matter, it's that white thing flying around up there!"

"I can't fly," Kirby moaned.

"With me you can." Ribbon grabbed Kirby by his back and flew up. "See!"

"And a weapon?"

That was answered by itself; the crystal, which they had taken along for some reason, turned into a gun! Kirby grabbed it and tried firing. "Cool!!!"

Ribbon flew up to where she'd seen the Dark Matter's heart, and Kirby fired at it many times. After a while, it finally began to explode!

"The place is gonna blow," Ribbon gasped as she set Kirby down. "Let's get out of here!"

Kirby called the star again, and this time it took them back to Ripple Star, leaving Dark Star just as it blew up.

"Now we did it!" Adeleine and Waddle Dee high-fived. King Dedede just sat there, looking longingly at Pop Star, and Ribbon and Kirby, leaning against each other, were too tired to do anything but talk. 

"I hope the Queen lets us rest before there's any kind of celebration," Ribbon yawned.

Kirby put his arm around her. "You must be more tired than me," he observed, "since you had to hold my weight for that whole battle!"

Ribbon didn't answer, for she was asleep!

That night, in the main throne room of the Ripple Star castle, the Queen held a special ceremony honoring the five who helped get the crystal back together.

"Your bravery is to be greatly admired!" she told them. "Very few would have gone this far to get the crystal back, and even if they did, they would have to be very strong to succeed! But you five did just that. You succeeded. So, as a reward for your accomplishments, we are happy to present you with these!" She held up a beautiful crystal on a thick string, putting the first one around King Dedede's neck. "You showed great courage by joining Kirby and Ribbon in their quest, and helped out a lot with your strength! You also left your castle for a time to help us. Thank you very much!"

King Dedede just bowed. "You're welcome."

She turned to Adeleine next, putting another crystal medal around her neck. "Believe it or not, you were the youngest in the group, Adeleine! You risked your youthful self for our sake, and pitched in many times with your artistic talents. Thank you!"

Adeleine curtsied. "I know I was the youngest," she chuckled, "and proud to be so!"

Now she turned to Waddle Dee. "You're small, and maybe not that smart, but very strong, and you have a good heart." She put another crystal medal around Waddle Dee's round body. "Hmm," she murmured, as Waddle Dee looked up at her, scratching his head, "It's a little big on you"

Next was Kirby. "You helped out the most, being the first to agree to accompany Ribbon, and you defeated the Dark Matter twice! Thank you so much!" She put a medal around Kirby's round self.

Finally, she turned to Ribbon. "And you, Ribbon, you may have failed in one _major_ way, but you certainly succeeded in many others!" She put a medal around Ribbon's neck.

Ribbon did a mid-air curtsy. "I promise to be more careful with the crystal in the future, your highness," she promised.

The Queen motioned for everyone to turn around, and they did, facing the audience. A loud cheering applause rose up. 

"Oh, one last thing!" The five turned to the Queen again. "Will you be wanting to leave for Pop Star right away?"

"Yes," Dedede immediately answered, "I have a kingdom to rule!"

Adeleine sighed. "I dunno I did leave all my art supplies in the woods on Pop Star, and I'll bet all the adults at the orphanage where I live are going crazy trying to find me!" she chuckled the last bit.

"Where did you go those few days before we started looking for the last shard?" Kirby asked.

"The woods," Adeleine answered, "trying to find my supplies."

"I just have a house to go to," Waddle Dee told the Queen. "Nothing special!"

"I'm promoting you," King Dedede told him, "And you too, Adeleine! You'll be living in my castle from now on!"

"Could you make me a princess?" Adeleine asked hopefully.

"Uh, technically, yes, but I won't. I sure need someone to help out in decorating the castle, though."

She grinned. "Just my job!"

Kirby had been silent and thoughtful. "I just want to go home," he said.

Ribbon frowned. "Already?"

"Ribbon, it seems like I haven't been home in _years_"

"Ah, well, I understand; I feel like that too, but don't forget me!" As if an afterthought, Ribbon shyly gave him a peck on the cheek.

Kirby blushed, and began stumbling around. He stumbled right to the edge of the staircase to the platform

"Look out!" King Dedede shouted.

Too late, Kirby began to fall! Waddle Dee, Ribbon and Adeleine lunged after him, but Adeleine tripped, somehow flipped over him, and crashed into Ribbon, leaving them all a tangled mess at the bottom of the stairs. Waddle Dee stared on blankly. Dedede shook his head and covered his face, thoroughly embarrassed. 

"I take it you've never been kissed before," Ribbon mumbled to Kirby.

"Nope. Never," Kirby helped her and Adeleine up.

"Are you all right?" the Queen asked. Over in a corner, Ribbon noticed Taffeta and Satin trying _very_ hard not to laugh. She shook her fist at them, and they stopped.

"We're fine," Adeleine told her. "Just get us back to Pop Star please"

A few days later, after they were back on Pop Star, Kirby was back at home, late at night, looking up at the stars, in the same place he had been when he first met Ribbon. 

No shooting stars were out tonight _A good sign,_ Kirby thought, looking at Ripple Star. It just looked like a small pink dot from where he was.

"Hey, Kirby!" a female voice whispered to him.

"Eh? Ribbon?" he turned around to see Adeleine. "Oh, hi, Adeleine! Shouldn't you be at home right now?"

"Home? What home?" she scoffed. "I ain't goin' back to that orphanage! I just got my art supplies back," she motioned to everything she was carrying, "and I'm going to camp out outside King Dedede's castle tonight. Just wanted to stop by and say hi."

Kirby nodded. "See you later!"

"Bye!"

Once she left, Kirby saw a small shooting star. It streaked across the sky, going parallel to Ripple Star for a second.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------__

Wherever you are, Ribbon, Kirby thought, _I won't forget you! And if you ever need help again, I'm here for you!_

Kirby didn't know it, but at that moment, on Ripple Star, Ribbon had seen the same shooting star, as she looked at Pop Star through the Queen's telescope.

"Wow, that was pretty," she gasped. "Your highness, this telescope is great!"

She chuckled. "I know! I use it a lot, princess."

"Uh Pardon me? Princess?"

"Sorry, I'm just so used talking to my daughter that I call everyone princess'."

"Oh, oh-kay" Ribbon turned back to the telescope. "Um, your highness" she trailed off, "I think I see another dark cloud coming"

The Queen raced to the telescope, pushed Ribbon away, and looked for herself. "AAH! You're right! Maybe it's just a stormcloud, maybe it's something evil"

"It's a stormcloud," Ribbon breathed with relief, "but I have this _weird _feeling we're about to get attacked. I don't know when or how or by whom, but I think this won't be the last time the Dark Matter attacks"

"You're right, Ribbon. You're probably right"


End file.
